26 November 2016

Tabula Rogeriana (lit. "The Book of Roger" in Latin), is a description of the world and world map created by the Arab geographer, Muhammad al-Idrisi, in 1154. (wiki)

On the Latinised version of this map by Konrad Miller (1928), "ard al magus" lies in what seems to be the Baltic region, translated by Miller as Zaubererland; magicians-land or Heidenland; heathen-land (source, pp. 148-149). Credit for connecting Ard-al-Magus to OLB-Magí goes to mr. Puranen from Finland (see below).

fragment of Miller's copy of Idrisi map (north and south reversed) ~ see blue markings

In the Oera Linda-book, Mágí and Mágjara are associated with Finna. From translation Sandbach:

One hundred and one years after the submersion of Aldland a people came out of the East. That people was driven by another. Behind us, in Twiskland (Germany), they fell into disputes, divided into two parties, and each went its own way. Of the one no account has come to us, but the other came in the back of our Schoonland, which was thinly inhabited, particularly the upper part. Therefore they were able to take possession of it without contest, and as they did no other harm, we would not make war about it. Now that we have learned to know them, we will describe their customs, and after that how matters went between us. They were not wild people, like most of Finda's race; but, like the Egyptians, they have priests and also statues in their churches. The priests are the only rulers; they call themselves Magyars, and their headman Magy. He is high priest and king in one. The rest of the people are of no account, and in subjection to them. This people have not even a name; but we call them Finns, because although all the festivals are melancholy and bloody, they are so formal that we are inferior to them in that respect. But still they are not to be envied, because they are slaves to their priests, and still more to their creeds. They believe that evil spirits abound everywhere, and enter into men and beasts, but of Wr-alda's spirit they know nothing.

According to Goffe Jensma, this is nonsense, and he theorizes that a supposed 19th century creator with this actually parodied orthodox protestants ('fijnen') and their superstition (magical thinking).

"... de historische kolder over Magíaren en Fínnen ..." (the historical nonsense about Magíars and Finns)

The main purpose of this blog post is to show another source for Magus-Finland relation, which will not have been known in 19th century Netherlands. This removes one of the main pillars of Jensma's doctrine. Mr. Puranen wrote to me many more interesting facts and thoughts related to the Idrisi map, which I hope he will publish about in the future. I will just add some further information below, not going into much detail for now.

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The Arabic text by Al-Idrisi that accompanied the maps was translated into Finnish by Sahban Mroueh in 2012 (Hermeetikko Nro.1). Here is a translation into English and graphic, both by mr. Puranen:

In the fourth part of this seventh continent lies most lands of Russia, Finnmark, Tavastia, Estonia and Magus: and these lands consist mostly of wilderness, steppes, inhabited villages and persisting snow, with little populated areas, whereas land of Finnmark is land where lies plenty of villages, buildings, sheep and no other thriving built-up areas other than cities of Abrarah and Velmaar. These are two large cities but one can see nomadism and wildness rules their inhabitants. They have less food than the inhabitants need and they have continuous rain.

It's 200 miles to west from city of Saqto from city of Velmaar. King of Finnmark has lands and buildings in the island of Nerbagah mentioned previously. And from the city of Velmaar to area of Qutulu-river's other fork is 80 miles, and from Qutulu-river to city of Regoldah 100 miles, Regoldah being a great thriving city at the river delta flowing to the sea. It's a city belonging to the land of Tabasti and this land has plenty of villages and buildings but less populated areas. This land is colder than Finnmark, with frost and rain present all times. From city of Anho it's 200 miles to city of Regoldah.

Anho is beautiful inhabited city and part of Estland. City of Vloor belongs also to Estland cities and it's a small city like a big fortress, it's inhabitants are farmers with little products yet plenty of sheep. Vloor is 6 leagues to south-east from city of Anho. From city of Anho to river Burno is 50 miles going by sea shore and fortress of Velmos is 100 miles away from the shore. During winter it's an empty fortress and it's inhabitants flee to caves lying far from the sea. They receive shelter from there and make camp fire for whole period of winter and coldness, and won't relinquish it until summer comes and black colour fades from shores and rain stops, upon when they return to their fortress. From this fortress to city of Medsuunah is 300 miles, Medsuunah being a large thriving inhabited city, it's population large and inhabitants are fire worshipping Magi.

From there to the city of Suono belonging to the land of the Magi is 70 miles going by shore. Amongst the populated areas further away from the Magi's sea shore is city of Vapi. Distance between it and the sea is 6 leagues and it's a 4 day journey from city of Vap to city of Vloor. City of Jintiaar on 7 days to the west from the city of Vloor. It's a large thriving city atop an unclimbable mountain. It's inhabitants entrench themselves against Russian bandits and this city doesn't lie under authority of any king. And to the lands of Russia belongs the city of Martur. It's a city lying at the mouth of river Dinset and city of Sarmal is four days journey south from city of Martur.

Some OLB-'skeptics' theorise that the manuscript was created by an individual or a small group of individuals who wanted to make fun of the religious and/or cultural-historical establishment in the Netherlands or more specifically in its province Friesland. They would have to agree that the creator(s) must have had an extensive knowledge of the Dutch language and its older varieties.

One of the words that would have been perfectly suitable to make fun and jokes is the verb bruden/ bruien. The alleged creator(s) would have known this most versatile word and he would not have missed the opportunity to use it. However, as we see in the below fragments, in OLB it is only used in two ways: go/ leave/ journey and spoil/ corrupt/ pervert.

19 November 2016

Some OLB-'skeptics' argue that the language of the OLB is simply Old-Frisianised 19th century Dutch. Strong arguments can be made against that. For example, there are many sentences that are still not clear. The example below shows how much variety there is between the existing translations.

* The misprint in Ottema' translation as 'verbreiden' (spread/ propagate) was corrected in the back of the 1872 edition but sadly not in the reprint of 1876. Sandbach copied the mistake and so did Raubenheimer.

02 November 2016

The R in the word for last: LERST(-A/-E), which appears 9 times in the OLB, can be a strong argument in favour of its authenticity. Old-Frisian dictionaries of the 19th century (and probably newer ones as well) only list "lest" without an R. (See examples Richthofen and Köbler below.)

As far as I know, "lerst" - with R - appears only once in Richthofen's
voluminous (600+ pages) "Friesische Rechtsquellen" (1840), on p.235,
Emsiger §26:

Tha lerste, huasa lath werth wr marar anda wr merca...

How
likely is it that the supposed hoaxers would have been inspired by this
single exception, when they ignored so many more easily usable words and expressions
from the known dictionaries? For example, Richthofen's dictionary has several
examples of expressions with "lest", which were not used in OLB (only 'to tha lesta'?).

Below all OLB-fragments are listed with
1) LÉT (late),
2) LÉTER, LÉTTER(E), LÉTAR (later),
3) LEST(-E/-A/-EN), LERST(-E/-A) (last).
This is merely an initial inventory. Much more analysis can be done on it, for example if there is significant variety between the various authors/ texts.

Note: LEST is also used some times for trick/ruse (Dutch/German: List).

Winds 'resting' in bags in Russian-Finnish film Sampo (1959)
based on Finnish folklore and mythology (Kalevala)

3 [126/26]ANDA MODER SAND HI EN BUDA GOLD
to the mother he sent a bag of gold

4 [138/11]SIN FRYASKA FRJUND HÉTE HIM BÛDA.VMBE THAT HI IN SIN HÁVAD EN SKÀT FON WISDOM HÉDEÀND IN SIN HIRT EN SKÀT FON LJAVDE.
his Fryan friend called him Bûda (purse),
because he had a hoard of wisdom in his head
and in his heart a hoard of love

Fragment four (Buddha) is obviously significant, but this post was inspired by fragment two (wind rested in its bags). The idea of windbags is known from Homer's Odyssey where the hero is given a bag with winds from Aeolus (beginning of book 10; the word used is ἀσκος - hide, skin, leather bag). Translation (1919):

"He gave me a wallet, made of the hide of an ox nine years old, which he flayed, and therein he bound the paths of the blustering winds;"

As far as I know, this was not noted until now. Ottema (1872) translated BÛDAR as holes (holen; copied by Overwijn and De Heer), so did Wirth (1933: Höhle; copied by Menkens) and Jensma (2006) assumed it was a pun on Dutch "windbuil" and translated as "builen". This word stems from "buidel", but "windbuidel" is only known to refer to a person who acts or speaks as if he is blown up (boaster). The German language has the same word "Windbeutel", but the meaning is somewhat different. It can mean a cream puff or an irresponsible, superficial person.

in Nederduitsch Taalkundig Woordenboek (1811) P. Weiland

I suppose these Dutch and German meanings are derived from something that originally was more literally connected to wind and this may very well have its reflection in the Greek story of Aeolus and in the OLB fragment.

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(Added Nov. 2 as pointed out by FromFinland:)
The concept of windbags also appears in the Nordic saga of Thorstein Viking's Son. Translated from 14th century Icelandic (source/ original text):

"Now I will tell you, continued Ogautan, that I have a belg (skin-bag) called the weather-belg. If I shake it, storm and wind will blow out of it,
together with such biting frost and cold that within three nights the
lake shall be covered with so strong an ice that you may cross it on
horseback if you wish. Said Jokul: Really you are a man of great
cunning; and this is the only way of reaching the holm, for there are no
ships before you get to the sea, and nobody can carry them so far.
Hereupon Ogautan took his belg and shook it, and out of it there came so
fearful a snowstorm and such biting frost that nobody could be out of
doors. This was a thing of great wonder to all; and after three nights
every water and fjord was frozen."

suche / zoek / soek / sök / søk / søg / seek/ sykje

F R Y A ~ S K É D N I S E

the early speech of our fore-fathers

"The pure Friesic and easy wording of the Oera Linda Book must be most welcome to students of English and Saxon, as a widening of the now too narrow ground of the early speech of our fore-fathers." Wm. Barnes. Macmillan's Magazine,April 1877, p. 465.

Video Studies

Cornelis Over de Linden (1811-1874) Den Helder

Eelco Verwijs (1830-1880)

first scholar who studied the manuscript and confirmed its authenticity (1867) - later he withdrew this conclusion, probably to save his career

Jan Ottema (1804-1879) Leeuwarden

first translator and publisher of the 'Oera Linda Bok' (1872 & 1876)

the oldest production of European literature

"We may thus accept that we possess in this manuscript, of which the first part was composed in the sixth century before our era, the oldest production, after Homer and Hesiod, of European literature. And here we find in our fatherland a very ancient people in possession of development, civilisation, industry, navigation, commerce, literature, and pure elevated ideas of religion, whose existence we had never even conjectured."Dr. J.G. Ottema, 1871 (translation Sandbach)